Gauging and controlling mechanism



April 1946- J. R. GUENTHER 2,399,113

7 GAUGING AND CONTROLLING MECHANISM Filed May 16, 1941 Z/ z 49a,

Patented Apr. 23, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE."

GAUGING AND CONTROLLING MECHANISM v John R. Guenther, Appletom wis. Application May 16, 1941, Serial No. 393,854 i claims. (01. 200-52) This invention relates to gauging mechanism and especially where combined with mechanism for control of supplemental devices to be con-,

trolled or operated in accordance with variations of the parts or materialto be gauged.

A purpose of the invention is to provide improved gauging mechanism, and especiall for application to continuous process machines as, for example, to apmachine ior slitting and cutting sheets from continuously moving paper webs, the gauging mechanism being adapted to respond to imperfections of the gauged material. In the machine mentioned, forv example,the imperfections might be overor under-thickness of the web caused by splices or tears, etc.

A, further purpose is to provide gauging mechanism in an improved form. adapted t control operation of other mechanism according to variations in the gauged material. Thus, in the slit ting and cutting machine mentioned it is intend ed that the gauging mechanism shall operate indicating mechanism to visibly indicate when the paper web is normal or of an overor underthickness. t v 1 A further purpose is to provide an improved combination of gauging and other mechanism including an operative interconnection therebe tween.

A further purpose .isgenerally tosimplify'and improve the construction and operation of gaug-, ing devices, particularly for continuous gauging, and the construction, operation and relationship, thereto of other devices controlled by the gauging devices,particularly devices for. visibly indica'ting the condition ofthe gauged material'as determinedby the gauging devices. v

The invention includesthe construction and combination of parts as herein illustrated, described and claimed, butit is to be understood that various modifications are contemplated and that the inventionincludes such modifications of the structure illustrated. and described we e,

within the scope of the claims. p

The same reference characters have been used for the same parts throughout, and in theidraw ing:v Figure 1 is a semi-diagrammatic perspective view showing a paper slitting and cutting machine including gauging, controlling and indi eating mechanism incorporating the invention. TFigurefZ is a diagram ishowi'ngthe'interc'onnection of certain gauging means'and indicating meanss'howninFig. 1. 1 1

.IEigure's 3A, 33, "30 collectively show theconstruction of one of the gauging and' 'cbntrolling units shown in Fig. 1, the views being enlarged; Fig.- 3 5. being a vertical section taken approximately at line 3A 3A of Fig. 30: Fig. 33 being a partial vertical section along line '3B-3B of Fig. 3A; Fig.'3C being a bottom view, partly in horizontal section; of the structure of Fig; 3A.

The paper slitting and cutting machine of Fig. 1 includes a plurality of rolls such as In each adapted to receive a plurality of paper webs such as'llla, Illa from rolls of paper, not shown, whereby to guidea desired number of paper webs to form}a-rnultiple' thickness web H, the web I I being continuously pulled forward over a support l2 b pull rolls l3, and slitted and edge-trimmed by spaced rotary cutterssuch as It; and. cut into sheet lengths by rotary knives at Hi, the resulting sheets being traversed forward by a belt device l6 onto a receiving platform at 11, theplatform beingautomatically lowered, by mechanism not shown, to receive successive sheets at substantially the same level. Two similar gauging and control units l8, [8 are rigidly supported from the frame of themachine of Fig. 1; as by cross support members l8a, l8a, Figs. 3A, 30, not shown' in Fig. 1, the units being respectively adjacent opposite lateral edges of the traveling web I I. i

The units l8, l8 are of corresponding construction and therefore only'one unit need here be described in detail; Referring to Figs. 3A, B,

C the units each include a'hou'sing having a hollow main portion l9a rigidly fixed with the cross frame members l8a, IBG/by anysuitable means; not shownyand having a" cover l9b'removably fixed on'the main portion. Withinthe gauge 1 housing are two similar switch units such as 20,

20 respectively fixed on different" barriers such as 2|, 2|. Each of the carriers 21 has an end portion such as 2la rigidl fixed with the inner wall of the"housing b suitable means; not

i shown, a resilient orspring portion such as 211),

and a channel portion such as 2 lc.

The'channel' portion of each carrier 2|; together with the associated switch unitf20, is continuously yie'l'dably urged upwardly in Fig. 3A, as but adjustable stop means isprovided including micrometer adjusting screws such as 23. It will be understood that there'are' two adjusting screw such 23 for each of the gauge units 18, the sc'rewsrbeing 1 J respectively operable to adjust the different switch units ng-the" screws being threaded in nut sleeve's'such as 24* rigidly fixed with the housing -coverlilb, and the inner ends of each screwbearingagainst the corresponding carrier channel portion Zic, the abutment end of the screw being rotatable in. a clearance slot provided in a member such as 25 fixed on the channel portion 2|c. The engaged slots prevent lateral displacement of the carriers 2| and switch units 20 during the rotation of the adjusting screws.

Fixed on the upper end, Fig. 3A, of each of the screws 23 there is an exterior sleeve such as 26 which rotates and moves axially with the screw. whereby the two parts 24, 2B are provided with cooperating indicating graduations, not shown, in the manner well known for micrometer devices etc., such graduations serving to visibly indicate the particular adjustment of the switch units 2|] controlled by the screw, and for individually varying the adjustment of the switch devices by predetermined amounts in either direction.

Each of the switch units 20 is similar in construction and it will therefore only be necessary to describe one unit in detail. The switch units include a hollow housing such as 20a rigidly fixed with the carrier portions He by any suitable means, not shown. Within the housings 20a there is a resilient or yieldable switch arm such as 2'! which is rigidly fixed with the housing at the one end and at the other or yieldable end carries upper and lower contact portions respectively engageable with an upper contact such as 28 and with a lower contact such as 29. The switch arm 21 is normally biased, as by its own resiliency or by suitable springs, not shown, for the arm to effect a closed circuit with the lower switch contact 29. The housing 20a provides a suitable guide or slide for an axially shiftable plunger such as 30, the inner end of the plunger being continuously urged to contact the switch arm 21 by the means of a light spring such as 3|, the other end of the plunger extending outside the housing, as shown, where an article or material to be gauged, as shown in Fig. 2, or may be provided with a contactor button such as 30a, Fig. 3A, for effecting a larger area contact surface. Each of the gauge units I8 is provided, in this instance, with a guide or shield member, such as 32 fixed on one of the frame members I 8a at the side toward the incoming multiple web I i, whereby to guide the web underneath the end of the gauge plunger 30.

The two gauge units i 8, Fig. 1, together provide four independently adjustable gauge devices each having an independent adjustment screw 23 and each having an associated switch device 20 which may be independently controlled for operation in accordance with the adjustment of the corresponding adjusting screw. Thus when the plunger 30 is contacting the gauged material the screws 23 may be adjusted for the switch arm 21 to efi'ect a closed circuit with the upper contact 28, or with the lower contact 29, or to be in intermediate position interrupting both said contacts, and any of these several adjustment positions may correspond with the standard or normal thickness of the part to be gauged, or with a predetermined amount of overor under-- size thereof.

Such switch contact variations may be utilized in various ways for controlling various supplemental devices. In the present instance the supplemental devices visibly indicate, to the operator of the machine of Fig. 1, any defects in the multiple paper Web H such, for example, as a tearout Or a doubled thickness in one of the component paper webs [a which form the multiple web H. For such result the two switch devices such as of each gauging unit l8, I8, Fig. 1,

it may directly contact with respectively control different lights in two groups of lights such as 35, 35, Fig. l, the different light groups respectively corresponding to the different gauge units. In the present instance, for each group of indicator lights, one of the light bulbs is lighted when the multi-web H is over-thick at the point of gauging, as Where a component web Ilia is doubled or overlapped, while the other light lights up when the multi-web is under thick, as where there is a tear-out in a component web, or where one of the normal number of component webs is missing. If no lights are lighted the multi-web is normal. Preferably, differently colored lights are used as, for example, a red in each group to indicate over-thickness and a green light to indicate under-thickness.

The operating interconnection of the gauging and indicating devices is the same for each of the gauge units l8, l8, Fig. 1, and will therefore be described in detail for only one such unit. Referring to Fig. 2, 351 is a red light used in one of the indicator sets 35, 35 to indicate oversize when lighted, and 35g is a green light used in the same set to indicate undersize.

For control of the light 351' the connections are such that undersize of the web I i operates to close a circuit through the light from a current supply line 35 and through the corresponding switch unit 20, the current operating through the switch arm 21 and the lower contact 29 whenever the multi-web II is a predetermined amount under size at the point where the plunger 30 presses against the web. To eilect an adjustment for such result the adjusting screw 23 of the switch unit 20 controlling the light 351- is backed up until the normally closed contact 29 is closed while a web H of normal thickness is on the support i2. The screw 23 is then set forward until the light 351' is extinguished, and then a slightly further distance forward, less than the thickness of one of the component webs Illa. With such adjustment the light 35r will remain unlighted so long as the multi-web l l is not under size by an amount as large as the thickness of one of the component webs, but will be lighted whenever the web is undersize by as much as one component sheet thickness, or more.

The light 35g is lighted whenever the multiweb I i is over-thick by as much as one component sheet thickness, the gauge and indicator connections being as follows:

One side of the current supply line 36 is connected to the flexible arm 21 of the switch 2|] which controls the light 359. The other side of the supply line is connected to the normally closed contact 29 of the switch through a heating resistance 40a of a control unit generally denoted as 40, and through a contact 40b associated with a pivoted armature arm 400 which is continuously urged by a spring 40d toward the position closing the contact. The heating resistance 40a is wound on, but insulated from, a flexible bi-metal arm Me which when heated bends to close a contact with an adjustable contact screw 40 thereby completing a circuit from line 36 through the switch contact 29, if that contact is closed, and through the bi-metal arm 40c, the screw 40 and a magnet coil 40g associated with the pivoted arm 40c, whereby the contact 40?) is opened and at the same time another contact 40h is closed, the resulting circuit through contact 4071. and the magnet coil 40g operating as a holding circuit to maintain contact 40b open and contact 40h closed until such time as the switch plunger 30 is-moved upwardly inFlg; 2 toopen the -con? 3 I l.

-- Another pivoted contact arm tiii isconnected for movement with, but insulated'trom, 40c; When arm Ana is in theposition closing the contact 401), that is to say wheneverthe circuit through magnet 409 is opened, there is--a c1osed circuit from line 36 throughthe light' bulb 35g' and through the pivoted arm 401' and a conta'ct 401' associated therewith, but whenever the mag net 409 is energized, as described, the contact 41!?" is open aridthelightiig is extinguished;

For efiecting the result mentioned the adjustup; in which the light bulb 359 is lighted but, as

soon as-the bi-metal arm Me is heated,the con-. tact with screw 40! will be closed whereby to establish'the initial circuit-through contact 40b to energize magnet 40g and thereby open the light circuit'cbntact Hi to extinguish the light, the magnet holding circuit through contact 40h subsequently operating as described to'maintain the light extinguished until such time as the multiweb II, at the point where it presses against plunger 30, is sufiiciently over-thick to break the contact 29, as where one of the component sheets has been torn and folded back, or has been broken and spliced with an overlap. At such time the circuit through light bulb 35g is again completed through the contact 401', whereby to indicate to the operator that the web H is too thick.

It will be noted that when the circuit of the light bulb 35g is closed as described, indicating an over-thickness of the web II, the resistance 40a is cold, whereby it results that even if the over-thickness of the traveling web II is of very short duration the closed circuit for the indicator light will be maintained while the bi-metal arm We is being heated up to establish the initial magnet circuit through contact screw 40 The screw 40 may be adjusted to provide a suitable interval of lighting of the bulb 35g even where the oversize defect of web I l is of such short duration that contact 29 is closed substantially instantly after it is opened.

The lag in extinguishing bulb 350, as just described, makes the initial adjustment of the corresponding switch by its adjusting screw 23 a matter of some difficulty unless special means are provided therefor. For this reason there is provided, for purposes of such initial adjustment, a pilot light 42, Fig. 2, which is connected to receive current from line 36 upon closing of the normally open upper switch contact 28. This arrangement may be used for the initial adjustment of switch '20 for the described operation of the indicator light 359, as follows: With the switch operating plunger hearing on a web I l of normal thickness, the adjusting screw 23 is set forward until the contact 28 is closed, thereby lighting the pilot light 42. The screw 23 is then adjusted in the other direction, upwardly in Fig. 2, until the pilot light is extinguished by the opening of the contact 28, and adjusted a further known distance, as determined by the adjusting screw, the further amount depending upon the known clearance between the contacts 28, 29.

What is claimed is:

1. In a device for contacting the surface of work to gauge work thickness, the combination with a-fwork-isupport or a carrierdisposedzabove the support-and pivoted for movement to and from the work surface, a spring urging said carrier in one direction of movement, an adusting screw constituting a stop adjustably determining the -position of the carrier under the bias of said spring, a unitary switch device mounted on the carrier and comprising relatively movable switch contacts in operative association for circuit opening and .closing'm'ovement, one of said contacts being mounted for movement to and from said support, and an actuatorhaving a work engageableen'd depending below said carrier toward said support and having a contact engaged portion for directly: transmitting movement from the work for contact actuation. I

2.,In a guage vfor operating on the face of work..to determine the thickness thereof, the combination; with a work support, of a-switch havinga contact arm generally parallel to the work surface, a. contact mounted on said arm for movement to and from the surface, anda fixed contact engaged by the arm-mounted contact for operative circuit closing, a reciprocab-le contact actuator engaging said arm and extending therefrom directly toward said surface, and a carrier upon which said switch is bodily movable to and from the surface of the work for positioning said actuator with respect thereto, and means for adjustably positioning said carrier.

3. The device of claim 2 in which the carrier is provided with a support and a pivotal connection with the support and has means biasing the carrier in one direction about said pivot, said positioning means comprising a screw opposing the movement of said carrier in response to said bias.

4. In a gauge, the combination with a work support and a gauge support, of a carrier disposed in spaced relation to the work support and having a flexible arm connecting it with the gauge support, a unitary switch structure mounted on the carrier and including relatively movable contacts and a contact actuator projecting from the carrier toward the work support in a position to be engaged by work on the work support, means biasing the carrier in one direction of movement respecting the work support upon said flexible arm, and a screw stop adjustable to determine the limit of movement of the carrier and the switch structure subject to said bias whereby to provide for the precision positioning of said actuator and switch structure respecting said support.

5. The device of claim 4 in which the switch structure includes a relatively fixed contact and a flexible contact arm extending in general parallelism with the face of the work support and provided with a movable contact normally closed upon the fixed contact.

6. The device of claim 4 in which the switch structure includes a relatively fixed contact and a flexible contact arm extending in general parallelism with the face of the work support and provided with a movable contact normally closed upon the fixed contact, and the contact actuator comprises a reciprocable rod extending approximately at right angles to the work support and said arm and provided with a supporting spring adequate to hold said rod in engagement with said arm but incapable of exerting sumcient bias to move said arm to open circuit position.

"I. In a device for contacting the surface of work for gauging the thickness thereof, the combination of a unitary switch device comprising a unitarily movable support, a contact fixed on said support, a movable contact engageable with the fixed contact, a flexible carrier lever to which the movable contact is mounted, the end of said lever remote from said movable contact being fixed to said support, a feeler member engaging an intermediate portion of the flexible carrier lever and extending approximately at right angles thereto for engagement with the work, and means for the critical adjustment of said support respecting the work.

8. The device of claim '7 in which said means comprises a flexible element upon which said support is mounted, a spring biasing said element for movement in one direction respecting the work, and a screw engaging said support in opposition to said bias for adjusting said support in the opposite direction respecting the work.

9. In a device for gauging the thickness of a piece of work, the combination of a unitary switch device comprising a support, a contact carrying lever mounted on said support and provided at its free end with'a contact, relatively fixed means between which said contact has limited movement on the free end of the lever, at least one of said means comprising a complementary contact, a feeler engaging an intermediate portion of said lever and extending thence approximately at right angles toward the surface of work to be gauged, said lever having a general direction approximately paralleling such surface, and means for the precise bodily adjustment of said support to and from said surface, such means being the sole accessible means for determining the relation between the relatively movable and fixed contacts of said switch.

10. The device of claim 9 in which the means for adjusting the support comprises a case in which said support and switch are wholly enclosed, a flexible member mounted within the case and carrying said support, a spring biasing said support for movement in one direction respecting the surface of the work, and a screw projecting through said case and engaging said support in opposition to said spring for moving it in the opposite direction respecting the work surface.

JOHN R. GUEN'I'HER. 

